News

MPs to probe apprenticeship quality concerns in new inquiry

Apprenticeship quality concerns will come under the spotlight in a new parliamentary inquiry that will check out the merits…

Jude Burke
Jude Burke
News

Lowestoft Sixth Form College hit with EFA financial notice to improve

Lowestoft Sixth Form College (SFC) has been issued with a financial notice to improve from the Education Funding Agency…

Nick Linford
Nick Linford
News

Sajid Javid seeks ‘more scrutiny’ of skills policy from influential group of MPs

Business Secretary Sajid Javid has said he would welcome “more scrutiny” on skills, as he suggested that the Business,…

Jude Burke
Jude Burke
News

National skills body boss leaves for consultancy firm

Michael Davis, chief executive of the UK Commission for Employment and Skills (UKCES), has been appointed managing director of…

Jude Burke
Jude Burke
News

Principal predicts college numbers will fall to 200 by 2018

One college principal expects the number of colleges in England to drop by a third over the next two…

Alix Robertson
Alix Robertson
News

Alternative providers needed for thousands of learners after funding pulled from charity’s ‘inadequate’ training wing

The government is looking for alternative “quality providers” for up to 3,500 post-16 learners after it pulled the plug…

Nick Linford
Nick Linford


News

Bankrupt founder of Elmfield could face charges

Criminal charges could be brought against the founder of a controversial former apprenticeship provider, who has been disqualified from…

Nick Linford
Nick Linford
News

Promote FE loans yourself, BIS tells providers

The responsibility for telling learners about new FE loans will lie with providers after the government admitted it had…

Nick Linford
Nick Linford
News

Numbers falling, closing down – University technology College revolution fails to deliver

When the Tories launched their manifesto in April last year at a University Technical College, they promised to create…

Nick Linford
Nick Linford
News

Government silent as one in three traineeship providers fail to achieve good or better

As restrictions are lifted on delivering traineeships, with the government claiming excellent results mean they are no longer needed,…

Nick Linford
Nick Linford
News

Alix Robertson meets Jeremy Corbyn: ‘I am concerned about the quality of certain apprenticeships’

After giving a speech to a packed room at the University and College Union (UCU) conference ‘Education from Cradle…

Alix Robertson
Alix Robertson
News

UCU #cradletograve conference – what the FE delegates had to say

At today’s University and College Union conference on ‘Education from Cradle to Grave’, FE Week spoke to some of…

Alix Robertson
Alix Robertson

Must read

Colleges, Long read

Colleges on the frontline of a divided nation

As social media algorithms fuel intolerance and binary thinking, college staff increasingly find themselves dealing with the fallout. Jessica…

Jessica Hill
Jessica Hill
Colleges, Long read

Alun Francis, chair of the Social Mobility Commission

Deprived areas need vision – not victimhood – to level up, and Social Mobility Commission chair Alun Francis is…

Jessica Hill
Jessica Hill
Long read, Prison education

The prison that’s offering hope for a new life upon release

‘We’re saving people’s lives as well as turning them around’

Jessica Hill
Jessica Hill
Apprenticeships, Politics

Phillipson to exempt young people from level 7 apprenticeships funding axe

Education secretary makes ‘important concession’ amid backlash from other government departments

Billy Camden
Billy Camden
Colleges, FE Commissioner

Weston chair felt powerless over £2.5m payments to former principal

Ex-Weston college chair gives tell-all interview following FE Commissioner probe

Anviksha Patel
Anviksha Patel
Colleges

Weston College governance failure allowed ‘concealment’ of £2.5m payments to former principal

Paul Phillips was paid £1.8m in 2023, including a ‘significant’ six-figure retention payment which his COO son ‘resisted’ paying…

Anviksha Patel
Anviksha Patel